HOWELL — Residents were warned weeks ago that something delicious and "dangerous" would be "coming soon." A new spot for sweets opened with a ribbon-cutting event on Saturday along Ramtown-Greenville Road Dangerous Confections has taken over the shop formerly known as Sweet Cammareri's in the Ramtown section of town Check out the shop's transformation below A post shared by Dangerous Confections (@dangerous_confections) Customers flocked to the bakery all weekend for baked goods Dangerous Confections is closed on Mondays It begins operating on a normal schedule on Tuesday There are varying hours for the deli portion and the bakery portion during the week Locals can expect a heavy social media presence from the business In addition to its daily lineup of food and drinks Dangerous Confections creates customized baked goods such as cakes and cookies Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom Gallery Credit: Jen Ursillo Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt Residents lost a bakery earlier this year, but the spot has been reopened with a brand new look and feel.\nRead More A post shared by Dangerous Confections (@dangerous_confections) Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom   HOWELL – Howell Township has officially opened its brand new pickleball courts at Deerwood Park in the Ramtown section of the community   After a long awaited two years of renovations the construction of the recreational pickleball courts have finished and the courts are finally up and running which is home to the Howell South Little League offers one large play structure (ages 5 to 12) two roller hockey rinks and a refurbished skate park   The Township first began renovations of the park in 2022 Plans consisted of removing the second hockey rink and converting it into basketball courts Director of Community Development and Deputy Township Manager Matthew R This will include two new full-size courts   There was also a skate park located on the right side of the park which was ultimately removed and transformed into the now existing pickleball courts   “The Township is committed to always improving our recreational facilities,” Howard had previously said when renovations at Deerwood Park first began   The decision to change the hockey rink and the skate park was due to those amenities being underutilized   “We also noticed that pickleball has become extremely popular and the township does not currently have any courts for use by the general public,” Howard said   Howard also explained that after driving through neighborhoods they noticed many homes had basketball nets in the driveways and streets The Township decided to rehabilitate the existing facilities in order to provide new recreational opportunities   All the renovations for Deerwood Park were supported by grant money the Township received Howard said $74,000 was made available to them through New Jersey Department of Community Affairs   The four pickleball courts officially opened to the public at the end of June   The courts are open from 7 a.m to sunset and are open to players of all levels   While there is no reservation system at this time Township officials said they could enforce one if demand for the pickleball courts “is consistently high.”   “We understand there is at least one online pickleball group that has formed for Ramtown; we are sharing the information for any players who may be interested the name of the group is Ramtown Pickleball and the group code is PurplePark,” officials said   Officials noted that if popularity continues to increase they will look to construct courts in other parks throughout the Township Township Manager Joseph Clark said they are still looking to resurface and paint the remaining outdoor skating rink 2024 at 6:12 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Howell Township held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open its pickleball courts NJ — Howell Township residents who have been wanting a local spot to join in the pickleball craze can now do so in town after township officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the town's courts on Friday The courts — four in total — were part of renovations at Deerwood Park a "kid-sized" basketball court and a half-court to sunset and while there is no reservation system at this time Howell officials said they could implement one if demand for the pickleball courts "is consistently high." "We understand there is at least one online pickleball group that has formed for Ramtown; we are sharing the information for any players who may be interested the name of the group is Ramtown Pickleball and the group code is PurplePark," officials said Players are expected to observe court usage rules and etiquette and when there are four or more players waiting players are expected to use a four players on-four players off protocol When there are fewer than four players waiting The courts are open to players of all levels "Please enjoy the new courts; if the sport is as popular as anticipated we will look to construct courts in other parks as well," officials said Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates A 40-year-old Howell Township resident was recently arrested and charged with supplying a man heroin and meth that killed him in 2023 Howell Township police found an adult male deceased on the floor of his bedroom at a residence on Westbrook Road Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said An investigation revealed Paul Clites had been communicating with the victim leading up to his death later providing him with the drugs that killed him Clites was charged with strict liability for a drug-induced death two counts of  possession of heroin and methamphetamine distribution of heroin and three counts of  possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute Clites was recently extradited from Pennsylvania and is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution A pedestrian was severely injured after being struck by a vehicle in Howell Township A cruiser for the Howell Township (NJ) Police Department The crash happened near the intersection of US Route 9 and Lanes Mill Road at around 5:17 p.m Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Thursday Howell Township police responded to the scene and found a 45-year-old woman from Lakewood had been hit by a vehicle while crossing the road Investigators said a female driver was heading north in the left lane of Route 9 when the collision occurred The driver stayed at the scene and the pedestrian was rushed to a hospital with life-threatening injuries No charges or summonses have been filed as of press time the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team and Howell police were continuing to investigate Anyone with information about the crash should call the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 800-533-7443 or the Howell Township Police Department at 732-938-4111   HOWELL – Deerwood Park is receiving a total makeover as construction continues to offer new recreational amenities in the Ramtown section of the community it offered one large play structure (ages 5 to 12) the Township first began renovations of the park by rehabilitating one of the hockey rinks The second hockey rink will now be removed and converted into basketball courts the skate park has been removed and the area will be transformed into pickleball courts   “The Township is committed to always improving our recreational facilities Our governing body has made this a priority for administration to focus as they want to ensure that Howell is a great place to live   Currently Howell Little League South maintains and utilizes the baseball/softball fields and in 2022 the Township worked with NJ Softball Cricket League (NJSBCL) to install Howell’s first ever cricket field at Deerwood Park (and a second one at Bear Swamp Fields on Maxim Road)   Deerwood Park also contains tot-lots roller hockey rink and soon to be added basketball courts and pickle ball courts   “We noticed the hockey rinks and skate park were underutilized We also noticed that pickle ball has become extremely popular and the Township does not currently have any courts for use by the general public,” Howard said we notice that a lot of houses have basketball nets in the driveways and streets We wanted to rehabilitate the existing facilities at the park to provide these new recreational opportunities for the community.”   The Township is utilizing grant money to perform all the renovations for Deerwood Park listened to complaints about the condition of the hockey rinks and skate park and worked within the guidelines provided for the grant money we have heard regularly about the desire for pickle ball and basketball and saw a great opportunity at Deerwood Park,” Howard said   The removal of the hockey rink began at the end of October majority of the groundwork and paving will take place Final touches including paint and striping are slated to be completed in the spring   “We hope all construction will be complete in spring 2024 or early summer,” Howard said HOWELL − Investigators were looking into the cause of a fire that gutted a portion of a Bristlecone Drive home and rattled the quiet neighborhood on Easter morning first assistant chief of the Ramtown Fire Co. said the department received the call shortly after 8 a.m the laundry room and a car parked in the driveway The fire was put out in about 30 minutes by crews responding from Ramtown Fire Co. Southard Fire Department and South Wall Fire Rescue Diamond can be reached at mdiamond@gannettnj.com HOWELL - The skeletal remains discovered Tuesday in the woods near Ramtown-Greenville Road are human and investigators discovered a number of personal items believed to be connected to the discovery the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said Further information wouldn't be available until after an autopsy There was not yet even a determination as to the sex of the remains But investigators did unearth several items in the area where the bones were found including a Hybrid-brand zip-up hooded sweatshirt a wrist band memorializing a Brick Memorial High School student who died a decade ago a black belt and size 8 Nike sneakers the prosecutor's office said in a Facebook post The bracelet memorialized Kyle Guidice, a high school student who died on Nov. 15, 2008 at Ocean Medical Center at the age of 16, according to his obituary. The words "In Loving Memory of Kyle Richard Guidice" were written on a worn wrist band according to a photo shared by authorities Authorities also noted that the person who died had a dental bridge in their upper teeth Investigators cleared the scene at 2:40 p.m Wednesday after a roughly day-long inquest that began when surveyors working on the nearby Ramtown-Greenville Road Bridge made the grisly discovery of bones in the woods The surveyors were working along an elevated section of the road — which had been swamped by floodwater in August and has been closed since — when they discovered the remains Investigators in protective clothing and gloves were working the scene after the discovery Tuesday Police and engineers returned to work in the sweltering heat and humidity Wednesday morning. You can see video from the scene at the top of this article Authorities ask anyone with information regarding the identity to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Det Andrea Tozzi at 800-533-7443 or Howell police Det Those who want to say anonymous can call the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential tip line at 1-800-671-4400 or text "MONMOUTH” followed by their their tip to 274637 Gecan: @GeeksterTweets; 732-643-4043; agecan@gannettnj.com   HOWELL – From the roadside on Easy Street the scene speaks volumes of a recent ordeal Two windows are boarded up on the pale-yellow house – and the front door is covered in black soot A fire was in full blast at the home on January 21 at 6:20 p.m with flames sweeping through the house and ravaging through the kitchen and the dining area The fire also destroyed parts of the living room with smoke damage overtaking the rest of the occupants’ possessions   “I am personally not sure if it was because of something wrong with the dryer or the gas connected to it,” said Aurelio Flores “I did hear a small explosion but do not know what the investigation revealed.”   When firefighters from the Ramtown Fire Department arrived at the scene and heavy smoke emanated from the front door   Additional fire departments provided support due to the absence of hydrants on Easy Street Crews concluded their operations by 9:40 p.m. and an investigation into the fire’s cause was initiated by the Howell Township Fire Bureau   No injuries arose from the structure fire which was extinguished as a result of efforts made by the local fire department and an n additional Engine and Ladder from the Southard Fire Department and Herbertsville Fire Company and Lauralton Fire Company   The Adelphia Fire Company brought in their tanker because of the lack of hydrants on Easy Street The Flores family has called the Easy Street address across from Puglisi Egg Farms their home for the last seven years They are now displaced and living with extended family who set up a GoFundMe account seeking help for her parents and siblings   “Our household includes my parents; my dad works at Puglisi Egg Farms and my mom stays at home currently,” shared Andrea who are both students at Howell Middle School South; most of their clothes were burnt as it was their clothes in the dryer.” staying with family in the meantime as we find a new home.”   Andrea added that it was extremely devastating to see a house filled with memories gone in one night It is her understanding that the house is beyond repair and will be demolished The GoFund goal of $15,000 has almost been reached with nearly 300 people offering their help that money will go by quickly as the family attempts to regain their lives   Donations are being accepted to assist with food The family appears to be well known in the local community with many residents offering their help as far as clothes and household necessities One former Howell resident has even offered to set up his recreational vehicle on the property to give the family a temporary place to live the Flores family has no means of storing any physical items people have offered to them They are currently in search of a new rental home to get their lives somewhat back to normal   “It’s been hard to get back to people,” Andrea said “I am in college and juggling that while trying to help my parents with everything that needs to be done We are all so grateful for everything that has been given to us either financially or offered as far as physical donations.” “I don’t want anyone to think I don’t intend to reply to them   Those interested in helping the Flores family after their tremendous loss can do so by contributing to the GoFundMe foundat  https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-flores-family-after-house-fire?cdn-cache=0 HOWELL - With the township already mired in several ongoing lawsuits over development proposals the Planning Board is scheduled to consider a new car wash a medical office plaza and a 10-lot subdivision Thursday night.  The proposed subdivision would be spitting distance from one of the sites where developers are seeking to build out warehouse space Residents have taken those developers to court to try to stop them The other two proposals are located on the state highways that crisscross the township want to tear down the building on the parcel and build a one-lane "Mod Wash" car wash with three lanes for payment and queueing and parking for customers cars that are being dried or vacuumed as well as a "bug wash cleaning area," according to Planning Board records The site was previously home to the Garden State Sign Company Mod Wash has opened or planned locations in 14 states, according to the company's website Two locations are already open in New Jersey The website indicates they plan on opening their Howell location next year Shut down:  Planning Board spikes Howell Road warehouse proposal want to split their 20-acre parcel into eight one-acre residential lots on Michele Boulevard one more 2-acre lot on Ramtown-Greenville and a a tenth 10-acre parcel to "remain as open space," according to Planning Board documents This proposed subdivision is just up the road from a warehouse expansion that is now the subject of a lawsuit Two Michele Boulevard residents have sued the developers seeking to build a 20,088-square-foot warehouse at 366 Ramtown-Greenville Road and the township Zoning Board of Adjustment Howell:  Planners 'appalled' at prospect of affordable housing which owns property where Colts Neck Road meets Route 33 11,550-square-foot medical office complex with a cafe and parking for 91 cars The developer first pitched its site plan in 2018 Earlier plans called for a 15,930-square-foot building with 102 parking spaces That intersection is home to a QuickChek on the southeast corner. Another developer is applying to build a shopping center, anchored by a Dollar General, on the northwest corner "A residential development is currently under construction to the northeast," with more residential developments along Route 33 to the west and southwest The Planning Board is scheduled to meet via videoconference at 7 p.m. Thursday. Residents can tune in via Zoom or call in Gecan covers local news and unsolved mysteries for the Asbury Park Press You can reach him at 732-547-1365 or agecan@gannettnj.com, or follow him on Twitter @GeeksterTweets Brookstone at Casola Farm LLC's application to develop a commercial flex space complex on Squankum Yellowbrook Road was postponed to an as-yet undetermined date Testimony began on 366 Ramtown Greenville Road LLC's proposal to enlarge a warehouse facility in Ramtown but was continued to June 28 HOWELL — Two developers, one looking to build a commercial plaza outside Farmingdale and another seeking to expand warehouses in Ramtown will make their pitches to the Zoning Board of Adjustment Monday evening Developer Brookstone at Casola Farm LLC and landowners James and Patricia Casey are proposing 30 units of "multitenant flex" space which typically comprises a mix of office and warehouse space The office plaza would sit up Squankum Yellowbrook Road from Howell Middle School North and Howell High School The parcel sits just to the west of where Farmingdale is carved out of Howell residential developments and industrial parcels nearby Howell:  20-parcel subdivision would connect new roads to Freehold Although earlier plans called for more storefronts the current proposal is for 30 units spread between two buildings one with 24 tenant spaces and the other with six All in all the plans call for 49,500 square feet of commercial space plus a 30-foot-wide driveway and 96 parking spaces The neighborhood could accommodate 13,072 square feet of office space and 57,650 square feet of warehouse space at the proposed location "without having an adverse or detrimental impact on traffic conditions in the area," according to an analysis by traffic engineering consultants McDonough & Rea Associates Inc The proposal would require a variance sits the proposed development site sits mostly in an agricultural and residential zone crosses into a special economic development zone The other development up for discussion Monday is a 45,973-square-foot warehouse proposal in the Ramtown neighborhood The Fishing Line LLC also wants to build out 9,402 square feet of offices The proposal would triple the warehouse space already on the site the parcel sits in an agricultural and residential zone Howell:  Vacant land near Freehold could become acres of warehouses with residential neighborhoods further to the east and west The board is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Monday via the Zoom videoconferencing application Gecan: 732-547-1365; agecan@gannettnj.com; @GeeksterTweets   HOWELL – Thirteen educators from eight Howell Township schools were selected as New Jersey Exemplary Educators in 2020   The purpose of the New Jersey Department of Education’s Exemplary Educator Recognition Program is to recognize educators who are valued by their school and community These educators have displayed strong knowledge and skills an inspiring presence and a clear vision for quality teaching and learning.     According to the department’s website the program alternates between elementary (Pre-K to 5 grade) and secondary (6 to 12 grade) every year the department was pursuing elementary educators and for each selected educator they were awarded with a state certificate parents and community members nominated deserving educators throughout the state and the application process is then completed by district administrators and supervisors   Within the 93 educators chosen from across New Jersey 13 were Howell Township Public School educators   “These 13 educators serve as a shining example of the many great colleagues and staff members that work throughout the Howell PreK-8 school district,” Superintendent of Schools Joseph Isola said “We are extremely proud of this recognition and their commitment to their students.”   “I am honored and humbled to be among this outstanding group of educators,” Tina Yorke “Thank you to the New Jersey Department of Education and Howell Township for this awesome recognition.”   “I was honored and overjoyed to be named one of New Jersey’s Exemplary Elementary Educators,” said Larissa Sack “I am grateful for the opportunity to share and foster a love of instrumental music with the children of Howell Township.”   “It is an honor to be recognized by the New Jersey Department of Education as an exemplary educator,” said Stella Cohen English as a Second Language Instructional Coach at Ardena School “I am humbled to say the least and I am lucky to be working with such talented teaching staff and supportive administrative team This year has been one of the most challenging years for all of us Amidst the pandemic we were faced with new obstacles and scenarios that all had to be addressed in short order I couldn’t be prouder to be part of a team that came together I am thankful for this recognition and the opportunity to continue serving the Howell community.”   “I was so very surprised to receive the Exemplary Educator award,” said Michele Mack “We were in a faculty meeting when my principal Lynn Coco announced the award and it was early in the morning so I had to listen twice when she read off my name and it made me so happy to realize that there are people who really appreciate what teachers are doing   “I am both humbled and honored to be recognized for this award,” Erin Lowman Instructional Coach at Griebling School said “It is a great privilege to work in a district such as Howell with colleagues that not only celebrate success but also inspire a strive to continue learning in education I am grateful for the opportunity to have a positive effect on my students and my colleagues as they have had on me I am extremely fortunate to be surrounded by so many inspiring professionals and I am humbled to have had the opportunity to inspire others.”    “I was extremely honored to receive this recognition at such an early stage of my teaching career,” Amber Williams-Allen Extended Day Preschool Disabled Educator at Land O’Pines School said “This is my fourth year teaching in Howell School District and I have grown so much as an educator already It’s funny how life can bring detours and send you in different directions than you had originally planned I was pursuing a career in the visual arts field I realized that what I thought was a change in direction was actually leading me exactly where I needed to be I am thankful to be working in a school district that supports innovation and creative thinking It is my passion to uplift my students and encourage them to reach their full potential It is a blessing to be working alongside so many amazing people I would like to thank the administration of Howell School District for nominating me for such an amazing award.”   “We are honored to receive the 2020 NJ Exemplary Educator Award,” Angela O’Cone Special Education Teacher and Skye Donzelli Computer Teacher at Memorial Elementary School said we are proud to be educators for the Howell Township School District and more specifically at Memorial School Remo encourage collaboration among colleagues which directly enhances the educational experiences for our students and staff Our efforts are a direct result of the positive atmosphere at Memorial School where working with knowledgeable faculty and eager students create an opportunity to expand one’s teaching practices.”   “I am extremely humbled and honored to be recognized by Taunton School and the State of New Jersey,” Jennifer Cory Special Education Teacher at Taunton School said “I am proud to be part of a district that supports students’ social emotional learning and provides opportunities for students and staff to be a part of such an important endeavor.” HOWELL - Over 100 mayoral campaign signs were stolen from around the township and thrown in dumpsters in April Around 130 political posters belonging to the "Leggio for Mayor" campaign were stolen from various locations on or about April 23 The signs were later discarded in dumpsters behind the Ramtown Plaza The suspect vehicle is a 2018 to 2023 Toyota Camry "If you have any information about these thefts or recognize the vehicle in the photos "Your help is crucial in resolving this matter and maintaining the integrity of our community's political processes." 'I don't want to leave': Why Howell mechanic is closing shop after 30 years one of the three candidates for the Republican nomination for mayor in Howell Township along with current Deputy Mayor Ian Nadel and Councilman Fred Gasior The winner will likely run this fall against Matthew Filosa who is running unopposed in the Democratic primary The primary election is June 4.Leggio said that when one of his supporters noticed his yard sign was missing Leggio drove around checking streets and found that the suspect hit multiple streets and houses in the Ramtown section of the township He gave detectives the list of locations and they launched an investigation Howell news: Tiny church gets restored to glory by Russian Orthodox community who keep it going Leggio said he is funding his own campaign for this election which is a contested primary for Republican mayor "This hurts me because I paid eight bucks a sign," he said "[But] all they did was give me free publicity Anyone with information should contact Detective Ortenzi at 732-938-4111 Howell farmers: We need to host events to stay alive, but township is squashing us Jenna Calderón covers breaking news and cold cases in Monmouth and Ocean counties she covered The Queen City for Cincinnati Magazine in Ohio Contact her at 330-590-3903; jcalderon@gannettnj.com 2011 at 1:11 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Back in the days before Wii and Playstation children used to play games that had nothing to do with the television One of those old classic games was marbles and last month fifth graders at the Ramtown School held their annual tournament in the classic battle of wits The tournament was held after reading a story called "The Marble Champ," and followed in a tradition that started back in 1999 with the work of former teacher Rich McCabe the students look forward to not only doing their best but also representing their class for ultimate bragging rights Each class entered two competitors into the field with the winner of the first four matches advancing to the next round the finals came down to a best two out of three championship battle Julia Palmieri and Nicholas Lupo represented Mrs while Brandon Downey and Nayomi Santos were selected to compete for Mrs The field was rounded out by Gloria Abbas-Zadeh and Matt Candiotti from Ms Rinaldi's class and Nathan Lee and Barbara Podvorchani from Mr In the end it came down to Palmieri and Santos Crowe's class against the best shooter from Mrs And by the time the match was over Palmieri brought home the title for her class on a very eventful Friday HOWELL - Authorities are investigating after skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area near Ramtown-Greenville Road Surveyors working at the nearby Ramtown-Greenville Road Bridge discovered the remains Both Howell police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office were at the scene into Tuesday evening investigating and beginning the grisly task of identifying the remains Trucks from the Howell Township First Aid and Rescue Squad were also on scene Authorities have so far not said whether or not the remains are human Some investigators wore white protective clothing and blue surgical gloves emerging from a wooded area on the side of the road First responders had also set up a white tent and misting fans for investigators as they worked the scene on a warm and muggy evening A spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office confirmed the investigation but said it was still too early to release any details That section of the road has already been closed after the bridge was swamped by flood waters during a flash flood last month. Officials said at the time that the road would remain closed for several weeks   HOWELL – Township officials have already invoked on sorely needed repairs to ensure the first of two roller rinks at Deerwood Park no longer falls through the cracks The second rink may ultimately put a different “spin” on alternative recreational offerings in the Ramtown section of the community   “Both outdoor street hockey/inline skating rinks were extensively used in years past but were underutilized lately,” said Township Business Administrator Joe Clark “We had a local resident reach out regarding use of the rink for practice for the roller derby team he coaches.” Ficorelli II serves as the vice president of the Jersey Junior Roller Derby Thrashers and said he contacted Clark after the Jackson Skating Center announced their plans to close their doors New owners decided to shut down the facility until they completed renovations   The Thrashers are a league of skaters that range in age from 8-17 and desperately needed a local venue for practice sessions   “I’ve lived in Howell for more than 15 years,” said Ficorelli “I remembered there were two hockey rinks in Deerwood Park which is also known as the ‘Purple Park.’”   Ficorelli said he checked out both rinks and discovered one had a few potholes and cracks The second rink had a split right down the middle uneven pavements and holes in the surface represented potential safety hazards for even the most skilled skaters   The good news was that although the rinks weren’t in great condition he found they had some potential and contacted township authorities for help   “Joe (Clark) thanked me for bringing up the issue and said the town had already talked about revitalizing one of the rinks,” Ficorelli shared “They wanted to get it in shape for use by roller derby teams   Clark acknowledged his conversation with Ficorelli and said municipal employees examined both rinks and decided to invest in one this year to bring it up to usable condition The business administrator credited the dialogue with the resident for “dovetailing perfectly” with plans for park improvements   “We are still trying to determine what to do with the second rink,” said Clark “We have several options ranging from a repair of the rink to decommissioning it and using it for basketball courts.”   Director of Public Works Paul Novello directed the repairs to the first rink noting that the window of opportunity was closing due to weather constraints Novello immediately contacted a vendor that the town works with regarding the materials and preparation work needed to repair the rink   “I took a couple of pictures and passed them on and discussed what we needed to do on the phone,” Novello said “The vendor came out to the site and told us how to prepare the rink for the repairs the public works director admitted that this particular project brought a smile to his face He has personal reasons for understanding the value of the municipal asset and what it meant to the community   “I was excited when I heard that a roller derby team would be using the rink,” Novello shared made it to Junior Roller Derby Association (JRDA) US World Team in 2020 She participated under the “Takedown Diva” moniker She’s now settled in at Mississippi State University roller rinks across the country have shut down because skating appeared to be a thing of the past and even the most casual skaters need a safer place than sidewalks or parking lots to hit the pavement   Access to the skating rink under repair was locked up last weekend That left a family of brothers planning to play roller hockey at the second rink   “We only get to play every six months or so,” said Aharon Rosenberg and we love that there’s a place to play.” 2012 at 5:08 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}In the wake of Hurricane Sandy communities like Union Beach lost not only house but also vital emergency equipment When the local Ramtown Fire Department was deciding what to do with an old utility truck it was decided they would donate the vehicle to the first responders in shore community "We were looking for a way to clean it off and get rid of it," he said "We went to the county fire marshal's office and they said after the storm the fire company can use it." The Union Beach department had lost a similar truck in the storm so Scarlato said it was a perfect fit "They were very excited about it," he said "They do a lot more fire police work up there where they help the police block roads during the storm Where we are we've gotten away from that a little bit." Scarlato said the Union Beach department had four feet of water in their house during the storm so the members of his house were happy to help get them running again "We'd much rather give it to someone else in the county," he said   HOWELL – Fifteen township school district educators were recently recognized as part of the annual New Jersey exemplary educators of the year program   The 15 teachers all taught grade levels from preschool to fifth grade and were nominated by the Howell Township school system administration the New Jersey Department of Education selects from the nominees who they believe deserve the award the New Jersey Department of Education invites public school districts (including charter schools) to participate in the Exemplary Educator Recognition Program The goal of this program is to identify outstanding educators for special recognition alternating between elementary (Pre-K to 5) and secondary (6–12) every year,” the New Jersey Department of Education website noted   A state certificate of recognition is given out to each candidate that is selected as an Exemplary Educator The 2024 award was presented to elementary teachers and with eight elementary schools and two preschools in Howell township   “Each year the Department of Education for the state of New Jersey awards a number of exemplary educator recognitions and I am really proud to stand here tonight and tell you 15 staff members in our elementary schools were recognized statewide as exemplary educators of the year,” said Joseph Isola the superintendent of Howell Township School District 1.         Jain Miller of Adelphia Early Learning Center (now teaches at Memorial Elementary) 4.         Erin Beelitz of Ardena Elementary (now teaches at Griebling Elementary) 6.         Brandi Cole of Adelphia Early Learning Center 8.         Jessica Ecklof of Memorial Elementary (now teaches at Ramtown Elementary) 13.       Daniel Charette of Griebling School (now teaches at Ramtown Elementary)    14.       Sherri DeCurso of Land O’Pines Elementary (now retired) 15.       Theresa Sandal of Newbury Early Learning Center (now retired)   Each teacher was presented their award by their serving principal at the time of the 2024 school year who also gave heartfelt speeches about each of the award’s recipients The awards were given at the latest board of education meeting   “There were only 160 of these awards given to the entire state and we are really proud that 15 of them are serving our kids and doing the good work on behalf of Howell Township,” Isola said but there are also coaches and a guidance counselor recognized   “Thank you to the members of the board of education for celebrating so many shining stars in Howell Township,” said Kathleen Mignoli when she awarded her Ardena School teachers HOWELL - Two weeks after human bones were found in the woods of Howell officials say the investigation is stuck in a "holding pattern." Surveyors working on a flooded-out bridge on Ramtown-Greenville Road discovered the remains Sept 4 They had been sitting in the woods for so long The discovery prompted Howell police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office to begin an investigation into who died and how their bones ended up in the wooded area in a relatively rural part of town See the video above for scenes from the on-site investigation a wrist band memorializing a Brick high school student who died in 2008 Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said the evidence turned out to be a "dead end." the high school student memorialized in the bracelet found at the scene told investigators that they had given away at least 200 such wrist bands after his death, Gramiccioni said Authorities sought to find out if there was anyone in Guidice's orbit who had previously gone missing but so far have not had any promising leads EARLIER: Remains found in Howell, NJ: Sweatshirt, memorial wrist band found at scene without any evidence to positively identify the remains investigators are banking on DNA evidence and dental records to solve this particularly challenging mystery.  "Most of the time when you find somebody’s remains most of the time there’ll be something on that person something that will help positively ID them," Gramiccioni said in an interview. "It’s a different scenario now because really all we have is bones." Officials say their best hope is to use DNA extracted from the remains as well as dental records and enter it into databases like the National Crime Information Center and the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) which have files on missing and unidentified persons as well as DNA profiles on people arrested or convicted of certain crimes Because authorities don't know if the person whose remains were found in Howell is from the area the chief of detectives at the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office "The logical step in terms of looking at mass numbers is to get your fingerprint — your DNA and your dental records analysis — back and then compare that to missing people throughout the state and throughout the country FIRST REPORT: Skeletal remains found in Howell woods If the person whose remains were found in Howell is already in one of those databases either as a missing person or an individual convicted of a crime, investigators will be able to be make a match and determine that person's identity which is being handled by the State Police Office of Forensic Sciences The dental analysis is being performed by a forensic odontologist But there's no guarantee that this method will prove successful because only a "small universe of people" have DNA stored in even the largest law enforcement databases "If we don’t get hits on those databases then it becomes a much greater challenge because we’re dealing with trying to identify that person against the public at large and that’ll be difficult," he said One method investigators might employ is to use DNA to create a computer-generated image of what the person may have looked like before they died in hopes that someone will recognize the picture Authorities used a similar method in the high-profile "baby bones" case in which the burned skeleton of a young girl was found in the woods in Jackson in 2005 While the image investigators released didn't immediately crack the case the little girl's sister helped authorities identify the body as 9-year-old Jon-Niece Jones from New York City HOWELL: 24 men, including cop, arrested in child predator operation The investigation continued for nearly a decade before three family members admitted in 2013 that after the girl died from the effects of severe abuse they conspired to dump her body in the woods If investigators are eventually able to identify the remains in Howell that will only be the start of what is likely to be a prolonged investigation Detectives would then need to piece together how that individual died and their body ended up in the woods Officials say it's far from certain that foul play is involved in this case The deceased could have overdosed or suffered a medical episode in the secluded area But sometimes authorities do prosecute like in the "baby bones" case and earlier this year when the discovery of skeletal remains in the woods in Jackson led to murder charges against 27-year-old Alan McGinnis of Pemberton officials hope that they can at least bring closure to a family somewhere out there still wondering what happened to their missing relative Andrew Goudsward: @AGoudsward; 732-897-4555; agoudsward@gannettnj.com   HOWELL – Within the last year township residents may have noticed changes to their local parks – whether that be upgraded equipment or the development of new facilities entirely – and now with additional funding  Township management actively evaluates parks for potential and created these projects for the betterment and enjoyment of the community there have been changes to four different Howell parks Oak Glen Park and Country Meadows Pavilion   These changes included both rehabilitation and extensions of their current equipment One of the most popular changes was the inclusion of pickleball courts – which applies to both Deerwood Park and Oak Glen Park Both of these parks have pickleball courts either completed or under construction for the public’s use   “We have noticed that pickleball is extremely popular and above all else we want the township’s parks to be used,” said Matthew Howard Howell’s director of community development a commitment and investment in pickleball was an easy choice for the governing body.”   Deerwood Park’s pickleball courts have been available for use for about a year and Howard suspects Oak Glen Park’s courts should be completed when the weather improves township management also took the popularity of basketball into consideration when investing in improvements Deerwood and Oakwood Parks were also expanded with newer basketball courts   Deerwood Park’s new basketball court was previously a hockey rink Ramtown Manor did previously maintain basketball courts The project resulted in the development of new courts completed at the same time as Deerwood Park’s courts   “Just driving through the neighborhoods and seeing all of the basketball hoops that people have in their driveways also showed us that basketball courts would be well received and well used We are constantly keeping an eye on the condition of our parks and the equipment,” he added Deerwood Park and Oak Glen Park also received some refurbishment to their facilities as well as pathways being refurbished with asphalt   Existing basketball courts were refurbished in Oak Glen and there were also refurbishing projects at the Country Meadows Pavilion the decking and pavilion was rehabilitated Oak Glen Park’s developments and improvements cost about $280,000 The improvements to the Pavilion were about $20,000 making the total cost for all park improvements over the last year about $700,000 the developments that have been available for public use have been very positively received by residents of Howell This includes for aesthetic purposes as well as purposes of recreational use township management is waiting upon higher approval to begin projects that will improve various playgrounds which is located on Vanderveer Road and Seton Hall Drive The township has applied for grants to provide the funds for these projects   “We are constantly keeping an eye on the condition of our parks and the equipment.  As some equipment reaches end of life the governing body is committed to replacing and enhancing where appropriate,” Howard said “[They] feel very strongly about improving and maintaining our open space and parks so the administration works steadily to do just that.” NJ — A tornado warning is in effect until 8 p.m for northeastern Ocean and southeastern Monmouth counties severe thunderstorms capable of producing both tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage were located over Ramtown Roadways that could be impacted include: Interstate 195 in New Jersey between mile markers 28 and 34 and Garden State Parkway between mile markers 86 and 102 Residents should take cover and move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris Check the National Weather Service for more updates Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.   HOWELL – Local authorities believe the number of residential rental units in the community has jumped from 1,000 to 1,200 units in the last year numerous Howell residents suggest this number is a gross underestimate – with many landlords not coming forward to register their rentals – especially when it comes to large estates being rented out to multiple tenants Howell does not limit the number of properties offered for rent various rules pertain to each individual unit   Landlords are required to register their properties with the Code Enforcement/Housing Official annually and are subject to a fine if they do not comply by the end of January   The failure to register a rental property could result in a fine of not less than $1,000 for the first offense and $2,000 for a second offense   Howell also requires an inspection of each rental property upon the initial filing of an application documenting a rental unit Certificates issued after the first inspection need to be updated with a new check whenever a change in tenancy occurs   “The State of New Jersey just passed lead paint inspection requirements that caused us to increase our fees,” said Howard   Rental inspections are conducted by Howell’s housing official and include basic checks for habitability like access to heat and hot water Inspectors also look for suitable ingress and egress in rental units and other factors related to safety measures   Howard attributed the increase in rental properties to changes within the housing market The township only has a handful of apartment complexes While there are some duplexes available for lease within Howell more single-family homes have also been offered for rent this year   Although Howell’s local ordinance currently requires that landlords post the maximum number of occupants permitted within each rental unit officials hope to employ a surer method of guidance in compliance with New Jersey Housing Occupancy Limits   The state’s administrative code spells out different requirements for dwelling units the rules mandate that “every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant shall contain at least 70 square feet of floor space and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one occupant shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor space for each occupant thereof.” there’s also a requirement for at least 150 square feet of floor space for the first occupant and at least 100 additional square feet of floor space for each other occupant   Homeowners in various areas of the township have complained of investors coming in and renting single-family houses to large groups of people Some argue that the influx of absentee landlords results in property neglect and less than optimal living conditions in “high-end” neighborhoods   Ramtown resident Joe Mauer said at least five houses sold on his small street over the last year Homes listed for $900,000 sold for over a million dollars within a few months   “The guy who bought the first house paid cash for it,” shared Mauer “He then bought three more on the block and paid over $900,000 for each of them.” the property owner doesn’t live in any of the homes and has rented out all of his properties The number of people in the single-family dwellings leads Mauer to believe that multiple unrelated people are living in the estate-size homes   “It’s a lot of adults in one house,” Mauer said “It’s not like a mother and father and their kids   Traffic has intensified substantially since the neighborhood seemingly transformed from a somewhat sleepy block to a busy roadway Some of the homes don’t have enough driveway or garage space to adequately park their vehicles   Mauer said he believes another residential investment property around the corner from him has also been rented to a number of families living under one roof it appears to Mauer someone in the household is running a commercial business in a residentially zoned area   “They’re working on cars and storing them in the woods,” Mauer shared   Soaring home sales and increased mortgage rates have added to the rental housing crisis that means sharing space to find suitable living quarters   Waiting lists for so-called affordable apartments are years long with one market-rate studio listed at $1,800 per month with additional costs for utilities The economics of splitting a $4,000 rental of a single-family home might appear more practical – as long as it doesn’t exceed set occupancy limits   A 60-year-old Howell woman who spoke on the condition of anonymity was one of a couple of people who believes she’s identified factors contributing to the onslaught of multi-family rentals in single-family homes within the community   “Maria” said she came to the United States from South America 26 years ago and couldn’t wait to become an American citizen She contends that some unscrupulous landlords are renting homes to undocumented immigrants who sublease the dwellings to make ends meet   “I sold a washing machine to a lady who explained her situation to me,” said Maria “The woman told me she was cleaning someone’s house and learned of a home for rent with each family sharing their own bedroom.”   After speaking with the woman when she delivered the washing machine Maria learned that many of the lease properties are advertised on Facebook pages written in Spanish and purporting to be marketplace offerings in specified areas   The Facebook listings show multiple rental properties in Howell and surrounding towns Many are sprawling estate homes with no hint they are available for sublease Maria suggested that part of the transaction is kept quiet   Another Howell resident who asked not to be identified said she noticed a recently sold home on her cul de sac was on one of the same Facebook pages She expressed concerns that a lockbox was placed on the door after the sale and that seemingly prospective tenants used a keypad to look at the property late in the evening   “What struck us was that when I contacted my realtor I was advised the home wasn’t listed for rent in any of the regular listings,” the woman shared “No one was acting as the owner or on their behalf to show the house.”   Those advertising Howell rental properties on the Spanish marketplace pages did not respond to calls or text messages left by this reporter She acknowledged that affordable rentals are badly needed because people are being priced out of buying homes   “Howell has very strict rules on rentals what you can and can’t do with your homes “If you see something or are having issues with renters You can’t rent a home with 20 people You can’t have boarding houses or dormitories 2023 at 6:34 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}This was the home with the most damage in Howell at 17 Spicy Pond Road The family was safe and found alternate housing head of the Howell Office of Emergency Managment (Photos provided by Howell Office of Emergency Management)HOWELL NJ — Howell continued cleaning up Monday after it was confirmed a tornado with winds as high as 120 mph first struck the Aldrich area Saturday and then continued to create damage for 1.4 miles including at the Winding Brook Mobile Homes Park "There was not one injury," said Victor Cook head of the Office of Emergency Management Cook said he was told the tornado was an EF-2 Its force struck Spicy Pond Road's southwest corner the worst lifting off a roof of one house and carrying a rafter 125 yards to a house behind on Addison Road the National Weather Service confirmed late Monday The National Weather Service also confirmed that what it referred to as the "Jackson-Howell" tornado was indeed a category EF-2 It was 150 yards wide and 1.4 miles in length fences destroyed and trees and brush were littering the streets and yards in the town JCP&L said 100 customers in Howell were still without power although Cook said almost everyone was restored by Monday evening Jackson still had 2,700 without power Monday morning and Upper Freehold had power outages as well on Monday JCP&L spokesperson Chris Hoenig said Monday Howell had set up an emergency shelter with the Red Cross at the Senior Center Police Chief John Storrow said one person remained there as of Monday morning Howell elementary schools were closed Monday due to the road conditions; Howell High School part of the Freehold Regional High School District Cook urged residents to stay away from any downed wires and to not drive over or under them He said "renegade" tree services were working already on Sunday at private homes but in dangerous conditions "People think they'll get power back if they cut the trees," Cook said Cook said the New Prospect power substation in Jackson lost two poles in the storm and that was what affected the power service in Howell Cook said residents should report all downed trees or wires or other damage to the emergency office He said the "Jackson-Howell" tornado first came down in the Aldrich area and went along Addison Road toward Spicy Pond Road It then traveled along New Friendship Road to the Winding Brook trailer park in the Ramtown area He said the area of Route 9 by the ShopRite was in its path Here were some of the main areas of damage Cook said his office has received more than 500 calls with damage reports Residents should continue to contact the Emergency Operations Center at 732-961-5100 to report damage Residents should leave all brush and other storm debris at the curb The Department of Public Works is now collecting debris The National Weather Service by 5:30 p.m. Monday provided a precise tracking of the tornado The tornado made an initial touchdown on Palomino Drive snapping or uprooting "dozens" of trees in a 100-yard-wide path The path of tree damage continued across New Prospect Road and along the north and northeast periphery of the newly built Paragon apartment complex Damage was consistent with winds 100-120 mph The tornado then moved east and southeast along a 150-yard-wide path and utility poles and property at Larsen Road and Maplewood Place then the tornado picked up strength and was likely "at its greatest intensity" at Spicy Pond Road There the house lost its roof and a rafter was thrown 125 yards and "impaled" on a roof on Addison Road but not before it cut a swath of damage 150 yards wide and 300 yards long in the area 2011 at 6:51 pm ETIt has been almost six years since Nick Vega last walked the halls of Ramtown Elementary School But on Thursday morning the Howell High School junior was back at his alma mater to thank the students who turned a creative thought into a successful project to help him and his family Last June Nick was diagnosed with bone cancer just a few months after his father Paul lost his job the family said they have been overwhelmed by the response from the community including the efforts of the students at the Ramtown School Thursday marked the second phase of a project known as "Stick With Nick," where students bought stickers for a quarter with the money going to the Vega family Earlier this year the fourth and fifth grade students started the program and raised an incredible $260 with some of the children buying stickers and some just giving a donation to help someone from their community That effort was redoubled this week when students in kindergarten through third grade were given the chance to participate and raised an additional $300 for the family As if the amount of money raised was not inspirational enough for those who took part making everything even more impressive is the fact that the whole idea was the brainchild of three of the students at the school is friends with Nick which is what got her interested in helping "I just wanted to do something and this is what happened when we started to do it," she said "It became a big project and we wanted to do something for him." Ginamarie said that before Christmas her brother and one of his friends took part in another fundraiser at the high school where they sold bracelets saying "Stay Strong Nick Vega," on them They then went to the Vega household to deliver the money they raised from the sale of those bracelets Ginamarie said she still wishes she could have done more and is going to keep trying to help the family "If we could do this again I would definitely go bigger and do the whole neighborhood," she said "I feel like if we could do anything else we would." She said  Nick's story made her really want to help "He's been sick for a half of a year and it's just so hurtful to see someone that you know is good that's sick like that You always want to do anything you can for them." Ginamarie got help from one of her friends in her class who said she was happy to help in any way she could but I thought it was a good idea so I decided to help her," she said "I really felt bad for him so I decided to help her raise money." The two agreed that they never expected to be as successful as they have been we didn't think we'd get this far," Daniella said "We thought it would just be talking about it The girls were not alone in getting the school involved they also got help from fifth grader Brandon Downey Brandon said he was happy to lend a hand along with the other organizers  "It makes me want to do even more," he said going door-to-door to collect money for Vega but in the beginning of the year Brandon also got his classmates to make get well soon cards for Nick Describing his neighbor as "funloving," Brandon said it has been good to see the community come together for a good cause "It makes me feel like they care about him." One of the teachers who has been involved since the beginning in getting this off the ground was Carmela Balassone With her group of fourth graders leading the way Balassone said she has been beyond impressed with their determination Having talked about doing something since January Balassone said she was glad to see how well things had gone in the end As a teacher I never had an opportunity to take that idea and see how it evolved As he walked out of what had been his fifth grade classroom I just kind of go through it and look forward," he said The efforts of the school and the community as a whole have not been lost on the family either said they have been "overwhelmed emotionally and spiritually," as they have seen just how much support they have behind them "We're very grateful to everyone," she added From the bottom of our hearts we're totally grateful." Paul Vega said he has been very glad to see everyone rallying around his family and his son We saw his face when he saw that people care in the community and it's amazing He said the efforts of the students were  "very commendable," and added "It's really blown my mind how responsive the community has been." Paul said seeing his son improve has been a welcome sight "It's a really good feeling to see him now where he's at He has really come a long way and it's an accomplishment to him and his bravery." With all the support the family has received the parents both agreed that saying thank you does not seem like enough to show how appreciative they are "It's the support that means the most to us that's really the beginning of it that everyone remembers and supports you in just the smallest way It's the thought of it that means a lot," Paul said Despite being unsure of how exactly to best express their gratitude the Vegas said they are remarkably thankful for everything everyone has done for them People who still want to contribute to help Nick's cause can do that on April 27 when they go to the school for elections In addition to a spaghetti dinner that has become a well known tradition they will be selling paper meatballs with those proceeds to go to help the Vega family homes and even the township's police department sustained significant damage during Monday's flooding rains which got 5 to 7 inches of rain in some parts of town was one of the Jersey Shore towns hardest hit — along with Brick and Wall — by Monday's flash floods Most of the damage was concentrated in the Ramtown area near Brick Neighboring Lakewood had 300 calls for assistance Read more about Lakewood at the end of this story Basement flooding in the Howell Township Police Department's building on Old Tavern Road caused about $250,000 of damage The water damaged some equipment but didn't affect operations READ: Brick seniors 'devastated' by flood damage will be closed for several weeks because of potential structural damage caused by rushing water The county plans to send divers into the brook to check the bridge's  footings and structure A large section of pavement on the bridge was completely washed out Howell Police posts on social media said the closure would likely cause major traffic backups in Ramtown MORE: Roads still closed, homes in peril but Geoghegan said there would be temporary lane closures until the repairs are finished.  The township has been sending building inspectors as needed to damaged homes and sinkholes on private property to check for structural safety Geoghegan said. About 20 homes sustained significant damage from the flash floods many on Pine Needle Street and Cherry Lane said the flood caused about $50,000 of damage to his house He lost his entire first floor — flooring His car and his mother-in-law's cars were also totaled and there's a large sink hole on his property his insurance only paid $5,000 toward the damage his neighbors and the town have known about a major drainage issue at a nearby development Salomon said he's told the town about the problem on several occasions.  “This could have been avoided," he said "That’s what I’m upset about." Dumpsters have been set up in damaged areas for residents who are ripping up ruined carpet "People are saying they haven't seen anything like this," Geoghegan said MORE: Howell homeless in limbo for move-out date About 200 to 300 feet of Preventorium Road was damaged by rushing water that tore up the pavement The town's public works department is repairing and repaving the road which is expected to reopen by late afternoon Wednesday The town is repairing minor damage to other roads He said he didn't yet know the total cost of repairs from the rain Public Works Director Patrick Donnelly said no major damage was reported in the township other than a couple minor sinkholes and some pipe damage He said he expected the township to make the repairs without having to make claims for emergency assistance and in Lakewood we have a ton of volunteer groups everyone worked together phenomenally,” he said a Jewish volunteer organization that helps residents with everything from finding lost items to changing flat tires said on Twitter it responded to a record number of 300 calls for help on Monday Lakewood Mayor Ray Coles said the township’s public works crews would offer their help to neighboring towns where at least one neighborhood was evacuated amid the deluge Keep checking app.com for latest updates on Howell's flood damage Kala Kachmar: @NewsQuip; 732-643-4061; kkachmar@gannettnj.com Staff Writer Stacey Barchenger contributed to this report HOWELL – A family of five was displaced by a house fire Tuesday night caused extensive damage to the house on the 90 block of Cascades Avenue The house belonged to Gregory White his wife Eileen Dodd of the Howel Township Police Department The Township released a statement encouraging residents to donate clothes household goods and money to the Howell Police Athletic League for the family "Howel PAL is calling upon Township residents to band together in an effort to make this an easier rebuilding process for the family," the statement from Mayor William J The specifications for the mother and children's sizes are as follows: Size 8 for a 6-year-old girlSize 5/6 for a 4-year-old boySize 3T for a 2-year-old girlClothing for a woman The fire broke out in the attic of the house before 10:30 p.m The Whites were preparing for bed when they heard a "persistent they noticed a burning smell and evacuated the family They reported seeing smoke coming out of the attic vents after they left the building Howell Fire Bureau and the Howell Office of Emergency Management The Howell Township Fire Bureau is investigating the fire Donations can be dropped off this week at Town Hall and at the Howell PAL building Steph Solis: 732-456-2159; ssolis@app.com; @stephmsolis Donation drop offs can be made at the following locations: 2012 at 4:42 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Last month a group from participated in the New Jersey Department of Education's Kids Tech Day teachers and administrators presented their Global Interactive Digital Notebook at the event as one of 11 classes invited to Trenton The notebook was started during the 2010-2011 school year in Robert Young's fourth grade class This year Young moved up to fifth grade allowing him to continue working with his students along with technology teacher Skye Donzelli As part of their work this year the students and teachers helped to include a website of student and teacher generated tutorials  and assignments to go with the New Jersey Common Core State Standards one of the students in the class said she was glad to be a part of the project but at the same time I was learning too." The students were allowed to make videos after they had mastered a certain skill Principal Albert Bohrer said the project had several objectives including allowing the people involved to use the videos to learn their lessons and provide reinforcement for the students "The project is ultimately a success on many levels," he said "The progressive manner through which the technology was used in a collaborative manner by Mrs provided an amazing opportunity for our students to instruct others using a wide range of instructional resources and interpersonal skills." Young said he was glad his students could show off their work at such a prestigious event "Being given the chance to present at Kids Tech Day was a great opportunity for the students to showcase their hard work and use their social skills to answer real-world questions," he said "This was a two year project with the same kids and they did an outstanding job." For their work the students will recognized at the next meeting of the Howell meeting on May 16 NJ - 12 public schools in Howell were recently awarded certification by Sustainable Jersey for Schools for innovative strides in environmental protection Aldrich Elementary School and Ardena Elementary School were recognized on Sept 15 by the Ewing-based nonprofit organization Ramtown Elementary School was additionally honored with a silver distinction for its board leadership and planning professional development for sustainability energy efficiency for school facilities and green purchasing policy “Our Green Purchasing Policy was implemented on June 12 while in compliance of purchasing laws the following: green cleaning supplies and equipment purchases,” the profile continues “All district staff were notified of this adoption via email- this includes department heads as well as the purchasing department.” Of the 147 schools that achieved certification this year 80 schools did so for the first time and 67 schools were recertified according to a news release from the nonprofit A total of 969 schools and 352 school districts are participating in the Sustainable Jersey for Schools program overall The Sustainable Jersey for Schools program, founded in 2014, recognizes public schools that aim to conserve resources, increase environmental sustainability and “go green”. Each school that is certified at the bronze level or above must submit documentation to show it has completed a balanced portfolio of the program’s sustainability actions silver or gold distinction based on a point system six schools achieved certification at the silver level including Winslow Township Middle School in Camden County Franklin Township Elementary School in Hunterdon County and Spring Lake Heights Elementary Raritan High School and Ramtown Elementary School in Monmouth County “We were not sure what to expect after this difficult year We’ve seen an increase in the number of certified schools since last year,” said Randall Solomon the executive director of Sustainable Jersey for Schools parents and students for their commitment and vision for the future Becoming certified with Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a significant achievement and these schools are leading the way to a more sustainable New Jersey You can find the complete list of winners here. 2025 at 3:31 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}There were no injuries reported as a result of the fires NJ — Fires damaged two homes in Howell Township hours apart on Monday morning and remain under investigation None of the residents were home at either fire Jackson and Wall fire departments responded and extinguished the blaze Farmingdale and Ramtown fire departments responded The Howell Township Fire Bureau is investigating both fires 2011 at 6:46 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}For the past seven years most of Lynn Coco's time has been spent as an assistant principal at the Ramtown School helping to develop some of the township's youngest residents Coco's duties were split between Ramtown and neighboring Greenville School As the new school year rapidly approaches Coco is ready for her first year at the helm of the Greenville community Although this is her first year as principal Coco said her work over the past few years have helped her prepare for the new position "I've had a lot of experiences being a vice principal," she said "I was given a lot of autonomy by my principals to try new ideas to do things and experiences of handling emergency situations when I was the only administrator in the building." As she starts her 18th year in the district this is Coco's third building she has worked in starting as a teacher in the Taunton School During her time there she was originally a first grade teacher which she describes as "just my love," before being bumped up to the fifth grade before becoming an administrator "It was a great experience because I had primary and upper elementary," she said Having been in the community for a long time and even with just a year working in the school Coco said she is comfortable in her new position "Certainly being part of this district for so long and knowing the Ramtown area and knowing the teachers here certainly makes a world of difference," she said "I don't have to do what a new person does I'm learning families but I don't have to do those beginning stages of I'm going to learn about you Whether she is a teacher in the classroom or serving as an administrator Coco said she hopes to be providing the same personality and professional traits in any position "One thing I hear quite often is you're the same person that I knew when you were a teacher," she said "During my appointment [to Greenville] one of the board members that throughout my answers to the questions I referred often to how I am first and foremost still a teacher and I need to continue to learn as well." Coco said she has always tried to stay close to what is happening with the teachers and programs happening in the schools "It's important that if I am leading meetings or if I'm going to help initiate new practices or new curriculum that I'm aware of what the teachers are going to be doing," she said That way if there are concerns or problems she will be able to effectively handle them One of Coco's goals as the leader of the Greenville school is continuing and expanding a tradition she credits Ramtown principal Albert Bohrer with fostering Greenville and Middle School South have built a strong cameraderie She hopes to see that include the students and staffs of the schools as well "When I first started in the district we always met our grade levels district wide We've grown and the constraints of having professional development our teachers don't get to meet with other colleagues and I think it's important they do that as well," she said For those Greenville parents she may not have had the chance to meet yet Coco said she is looking forward to meeting them and getting to know them over the course of the year "I want them to know that anytime they have a concern that they can come to me," she said "First and foremost I want them to be able to share that [concern] with their classroom teacher because they're with their child every single day."  Coco said she is hopeful to be able to address most any problem that comes their way "I want to provide you with the resources and the time to help you build a positive relationship between all the constituents," she said of working with the teachers in the building "Our goal here is to be here for our children to have them feel good about themselves and to be knowledgeable." If the administration and teachers can work together to accomplish those goals they can help their students prepare for their time outside of the building "By the time they leave elementary school and as they progress through the years they have a strong foundation," she added When the full contingent of Gators arrive in September Coco said she will be proud to welcome them back for what she hopes will be another exciting and successful year "This is a special school because it was created at a time that it was a necessity to make our schools smaller," she said "The fact that I've been accepted so quickly means a lot to me but it also tells me that I made every effort even with the constraints of sharing a building that I made an impact in the time I was here." For as much time as she plans to spend in the building Coco said she also makes sure to spend time with her family including 7-year-old son Tyler "Being able to give them experiences that perhaps I didn't have as a child is important to me and having that family time going to museum and going to parks," she said Coco said she is sure there will be some nerves the first day but once things get underway she said she believes they will vanish as she focuses on the tasks at hand 2017 at 12:00 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}HOWELL NJ — A Howell Township teacher has been lauded for his efforts to improve the use of technology in the classroom a computer teacher at Ramtown Elementary School was recently named the Ambassador of the Year by Schoology which promote the use of technology in education given by Schoology at the company’s annual user conference honors members of the education community who are making a measurable impact in teaching and learning with technology who is one of 75 Schoology ambassadors across the country said Howell's elementary schools brought the program in last year he worked to help other teachers see how to put the technology to use one-on-one with students "I looked at ways to implement this to raise the educational value for the student," Rao said "to be purposeful in the use of technology in education." who's in his fifth year teaching in the district produced tutorials that he shared on Twitter and worked with teachers to help them with the learning management system from the other teachers to the principals," he said And Rao said the teachers he was working with were motivated to learn about it which reaches his ultimate goal: the students Schoology's director of Instructional Strategy The fire that ravaged a Howell Township house Wednesday night might have been triggered by a lit cigarette butt in the garage according to investigators who deemed the blaze not suspicious in preliminary findings escaped unhurt before flames roared through the two-story home on Silversmith Court in the township's Glen Arden section Several Howell and Jackson fire companies pooled their efforts to tamp down the blaze getting the upper hand after about 45 minutes A 2017 Ford Escape in the driveway was destroyed The first 911 call arrived at about 9:13 PM After establishing that the family was safely outside began evacuating neighboring houses in proximity of the intense flames and heat Ramtown and Jackson Station 55 fire companies battled the blaze Also responding to the incident were the Howell PD Investigations Unit the township Fire Bureau and Office of Emergency Management and the Monmouth County Fire Marshall's and Prosecutor's Offices Read More 2013 at 4:51 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}There are five districts in Howell and each was open on Saturday for the annual fire district elections For the Southard Fire House it was an eventful few hours and the final results were not known until Monday morning Southard was more the exception than the rule as others like the Squankum house saw less than two dozen residents come in and cast their votes There were six candidates for two seats on the Board of Chosen Fire Commissioners running from the Southard house According to results provided by board clerk Frank Puccio the two winners were Doug Hesselbarth with 194 votes and Francis W The race came down to one vote separating second and third place as Arthur Esposito received 181 votes and Robert Seeburger finished with 170 votes The results showed Esposito received the second most in person votes with 146 compared to Pawlowski's 137 but he was topped in the mail in votes 45-35 Puccio said the election was "very intense," as the election got closer "It hasn't been like that in many years," he said The Southard department also passed its budget 330-144 Other races were not nearly as competitive Ward ran uncontested for two seats on the board and received 52 votes and 51 votes respectively A total of 21 votes were cast at the Squankum Fire Department with Raymond Roe and Alfred Pereira each receiving 20 votes to win the seats on the board In the Freewood Acres district Randolph Jaeger received 41 votes while Jeff Hodges received 35 votes Their budget passed by a narrow 34-25 margin The Ramtown fire district saw one of the largest turnouts on the day with Richard H Stalling and Gregory Scarlato receiving 144 and 149 votes respectively Weber who received 30 and 53 votes respectively Above: A gray weekend dampens tourism at the Jersey Shore HOWELL — A Lakewood man invaded the home of a nurse who treated him, violently beat her and attempted to kidnap her, Howell Police said in a news release posted to Facebook.  of Lakewood entered the Ramtown neighborhood home of a nurse Friday afternoon and beat her while demanding she leave with him The nurse — who treated Larrarte as a patient the night before at Monmouth Medical Center's Southern Campus in Lakewood — demanded the man leave her home after her mother allowed him inside Larrarte allegedly assaulted both the nurse and her 64-year-old mother Larrarte claimed the nurse was his wife and ordered her to come with him The nurse grabbed a kitchen knife and tried to defend herself by attempting to stab her attacker Larrarte avoided being stabbed while he punched and choked the nurse Neighbors heard the commotion and called 911. Larrarte left the home after the nurse refused to give up He was taken into police custody a short time later Police say it is unclear how Larrarte learned of the nurse's home address though they are searching two cell phones confiscated in their investigation Larrarte provided a statement implicating himself in the attack Authorities charged Larrarte with first-degree attempted kidnapping third-degree terroristic threats and fourth-degree possession of synthetic marijuana and simple assault He faces an additional charge of contempt of court in Trenton Larrarte remains in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold "No one should have to go through such a traumatic life altering incident such as this," Police Chief Andrew Kudrick said in the news release Predators such as Larrarte should never be allowed to see another day of freedom to victimize another innocent person.” The nurse and her mother were treated at a local hospital and then released A photo of Larrarte was not immediately available Coronavirus in Monmouth County: Town-by-town COVID-19 case list for May 24 NJ coronavirus update: Cases up to 154,154 as deaths rise to 11,133 statewide (May 24) Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers Brick Barnegat and Lacey townships as well as the environment She has worked for the Press for more than a decade HOWELL – A neighbor called police around 3 a.m Wednesday when she heard the sound of glass breaking then saw the house at 8 Roberta Drive engulfed in flames There were no injuries among the responding firefighters The cause of the fire is being investigated by Deputy Fire Marshal Vito Marra of the Monmouth County Fire Marshal's Office and Brian Prochnow from the Howell Township Fire Bureau First aid companies were on hand from Howell